Meskine, 19, was attacked blocks from the 22nd Street SkyTrain station in New Westminster and was found unconscious by a passerby. He spent his final days in a coma before he was taken off life-support.

Meskine's mother Julie, who did not provide her surname, was at the accused youth's bail hearing and spoke publicly for the first time about her son.

"He would be [the] person who would always want to help somebody in need, no matter ... where they're from," said Julie.

She said her son was a pacifist of sorts and even shied away from conflict on the soccer pitch, where he loved to play.

"He just got up and left. And people were asking him, 'Why don't you come back and play?' And he would say, 'That is okay, I don't want to play any more.' He wouldn't even start an argument talking about why is he leaving."

Karim Meskine died in hospital on Dec. 20, a day after his 19th birthday. (R.I.P. Karim page/Facebook)

Her son also helped care for his autistic brother, said Julie.

"He would let nobody ... make his brother feel inferior. And he would be really proud ... to show his brother everywhere with him."

Julie said her family is now just trying to get through each day without him.

"Try to help others. Try to ... do something good with something bad that happened, and prevent for that not to happen again to anybody else. That's what we can do."